Some of you may remember my talking about the little boy who, at age eight, had no ability to put together a simple puzzle. Turns out his very well educated grandmother couldn't do it either. A little research into the basic educational system here revealed all education is basically rote: memorize and repeat. It explains at lot in terms of the general absence of critical thinking, problems solving skills, abstract thinking and conceptual processing.
The organization with which I am working, LABE (Literacy and Adult Basic Education) (http://www.labeuganda.org) is devoted to building functional literacy at a grass roots level. I've spoken to my supervisor about building some basic strategies into the existing approach to begin developing some of these skills, which are essential if Uganda is ever to dig itself out of the quagmire.
While I've done a lot of educating with adults, I'm not versed in the specific activities in pre-school and grade school that build the above mentioned skills. Realizing that we do these things with our own children as a simple matter of course in playing with them as toddlers and youngsters, I'm aware that most of what we do in the States is simply not available here - and we are talking about the poorest of the poor. Can't go get a nifty box of puzzles, or legos, or board games, or books. This is also not a reading culture, so I am suggesting that pictures of mothers reading to their children be included in the new books they are creating to introduce the concept that reading together is a desirable practice. Libraries are not used because - when there are books available - school librarians will not allow them out off-site because they know books will either not return or be torn and defaced if they return.
So here's my challenge and request: can you offer any BASIC thoughts or activities that could be implemented to BEGIN teaching any of these higher level skills our kids already have in place by the time they start first grade. I've done some web research and nothing SPECIFIC is turning up. (Also, I have limited web access - every bite is paid for out of my Peace Corps stipend.)
I'm thinking picture sequencing activities could be added to support the simple stories that already exist in their "readers." The obvious use of literal counting of beans, rocks, etc. for numeracy developing concrete to abstract thinking ability can be used. (There are plenty of beans and rocks...) Other than that, I am grasping at straws.
Those of you who are experts in that area (pre-school, elementary school teachers... for example) I need your ideas! Many thanks. And remember, in the vernacular of Ugandan education, anyone who has gone beyond the grade seven is an expert in their eyes. (i.e. The fact that I HAVE a computer and know how to turn it on, pretty much makes me an IT expert here. There you have it.)
Thanks in advance for any ideas!!!
N
Do you have access to your own paper/pencils/crayons? If you don't can people send care packages? You could do so much with just these supplies or imagine some white boards with dry erase markers...You could create your own little simple comics or story lines with pictures in which the child has to make assumptions and come to conclusions about what is happening. Example: Draw a sad face and ask the child, how is this person feeling? Talk about why they might be feeling that way. Then, add to the story. Show the sad person stubbing their toe, then ask the child the same questions...most children are inquisitive by nature, so awakening that in a child is a powerful tool in creating problem solving and critical thinking skills.
ReplyDeleteBy the way...Miadrago is Nicole Royal. I don't know why that came up as my screen name :)
ReplyDelete